It’s Time for Western Democracies to stop the massacre in Libya

Rafael Román Martel

Today the violence Muammar Gaddaffi has exerted on the people of Libya reached new heights.Tanks shelling buildings full of people, helicopters indiscriminately massacring civilians, chidren and the old machine gunned by mercenaries and elite troops, tanks rolling over cars with people inside. It’s starting to look like Ruanda in 1994. It’s taking the shape of a XXI century genocide. It’s all happening while our president talks tough, our Secretary of State warns Gaddafi, and the UN proves to be as useless as ever. It’s beginning to look bad for the leaders of the free world because even though we are not the world’s police we do have a responsibility based on our principles and our commitment to people who fight tyranny all over the world. What does it take for the intervention of the democratic powers to stop this killing? What’s next: Gaddafi gassing a whole town. thousands of more dead civilians?

It’s not our role to commit troops on the ground. The Libyan rebels have expressed they do not want anyone to land in their country. All they ask is a fair chance to fight and that can be done by establishing a “no-fly zone”. At this time it seems that the US is exerting pressure for a UN joint effort but by the time a resolution takes place in that diplomatic jungle the world would probably have to lament another Ruanda.

The UK and this country would have to take the lead, Europe will follow. While the “options” are being debated more innocent people die by the hour at the hand of a blood thirsdy dictator and his security forces and mercenaries.

It’s hard not to admire the Libyan freedom fighters. They have displayed Incredible courage. They have defied the adds in the name of freedom, and time and inhumanity are closing in on them. Time is of essence here: it’s about time for Western democracies to stop the massacre of civilians in Libya.